A day after the Uttar Pradesh Governor gave her assent to the new anti-conversion law to curb the menace of Grooming Jihad (Love Jihad), the police have registered its first-ever case against one Uwais Ahmed for trying to forcibly convert a Hindu girl to Islam.
According to journalist Aman Sharma, a case was registered against Ahmed after a family in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh had lodged a complaint with the Deorania police. The accused was booked under Section 3/5 of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020. Ever since the case has been lodged against him, Ahmed is reported to be absconding.
The first case lodged under new anti-conversion law passed in Uttar Pradesh. A youth Uwais Ahmed booked on the complaint of a family in Bareilly that he was forcibly trying to convert their girl’s religion. Section 3/5 of the new law invoked by the police. Ahmed is absconding
— Aman Sharma (@AmanKayamHai_ET) November 29, 2020
As per reports, the accused tried to lure the victim. Ahmed began to persuade her to convert to Islam. When she refused, he began to pressurise the victim and her family. Besides intimidation, he had also threatened to kill the victim and her family for refusal to give in to his demands for conversion. The Deorania police are now making efforts to nab the accused.
Provisions of the new law
The new anti-conversion law is aimed at preventing forced conversions under the pretext of love and marriage. “There were more than 100 incidents reported in which forceful religious conversion was being done. Also, it was reported religious conversions were going on in the state using deceitful means. So to make a law on this becomes an important matter of policy now,” UP Cabinet Minister Siddharth Nath Singh had earlier remarked.
Under the new law, a jail term of 1-5 years is awarded to the accused (extended to 3-10 years in case of SC/STs) and a fine of ₹15,000 (₹25,000 in case of SC/STs). Moreover, the offender’s proven guilty for mass conversion will attract a jail term of 10 years.
UP Governor gives assent to anti-conversion ordinance
Days after Yogi Adityanath government cleared the draft ordinance against unlawful religious conversions, the Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel also gave her assent to the ordinance on Saturday. Soon after the approval by the Governor, the ordinance has come into force in the state. The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020 has been promulgated with the approval of the Governor, an official said.
In a cabinet meeting, headed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on November 24, the government had cleared the ordinance against forced conversions, which the Yogi Adityanath government has been mulling ever since the cases of the purported crime had been gaining its foothold in the state.
